


Face down

by Jamilton_and_Lams



Series: inspired by songs [2]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Eliza is a badass, F/F, F/M, James is an asshole, Maria Reynolds is Maria Lewis, Maria is a mess, Marliza, Starbucks AU, by red jumpsuit apparatus, coffee shop AU, don't cross the schuyler sisters, eliza is a barista at starbucks, eliza wants to help, fite me, if it wasn't obvious, laf is done with everyones shit, let her help goddammit, martha is like a mammy to them all, more coming soon!, shameless backround jamilton, shameless inspiration from the song, they will destroy you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-08 09:00:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17383592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jamilton_and_Lams/pseuds/Jamilton_and_Lams
Summary: Eliza was working in Starbucks when a girl runs in with tears streaming down her face."I need to hide"aka: the one where James Reynolds is an abusive asshole to Maria.Maria seeks safety in a local Starbucks where she meets Eliza





	1. Hi. Welcome to Starbucks. What can I get you?

**Author's Note:**

> mentions of abuse and James being an asshole to women warning

Eliza was board. She was humming along to whatever pop song was playing on the radio and twirling her pen between her fingers. The bell over the door chimed and Eliza looks up.

“Hi, welcome to Starbucks. What can I-”

“I need to hide. Please. Just 5 minutes. I just need…” Eliza looked at the woman before her. Long red hair that was falling over her face and tears streaming down her face.

“Umm sure. Yeah. Okay. Just through here…” The girl throws a look over her shoulder in fear and runs into the staff kitchen. Eliza follows in a daze. 

“Are you okay…” Eliza trailed off and the girl looks up at her quickly. Her hair shifts and Eliza sucks a breath in through her teeth. A black eye. New by the looks of it. Two maybe three days old. 

“M-Maria” the girl says softly. “Maria Lewis. Thank you so much for he-”

The door to the shop is opened roughly and it slams. Maria drops to the floor, tears filling her eyes. “MARIA?” a voice yells.

Eliza walks back out to the main counter closing the door to the kitchen behind her. “Hi. Welcome to-” 

“Shut up woman. Has a red-head come in here in the last 20 minutes?”

Eliza raises and eyebrow at the man in front of her and says nothing. She crosses her arms, stands tall and stares him down. 

“Well??” Eliza  doesn’t reply. Instead she pulls out a small whiteboard she keeps behind the till incase a hard of hearing customer enters (she never really fully grasped sign language and it's better to safe than sorry)

She writes a short message before turning her back on whom she assumes is Maria’s boyfriend and busies herself by making a ‘Caffe Misto’ - it's a simple drink to make but she needs to do something. She hums along to to the song on the radio and dances towards the milk steamer.

**‘Make up your mind asshole - do you want me to shut up or answer your question? Either way watch**

**your mouth** **and learn how to speak to women before someone - probably me - punches you.’**

She looks up to see the guy staring at her. He is shaking in rage and Eliza just sends him a sweet smile, shows him the finger and says “Apologize or leave. Before I have you arrested for harassment.” 

He takes a deep breath and forces a pained smile on his face and Eliza nearly laughs. He looked like he would rather face the rack than apologize.

“I’m…. sorry.” He forces out.

“For….” 

He glares at her and Eliza smiles back. 

“For yelling at you? Now…” he glances at her name-tag, “ _ Eliza, _ has a red haired woman entered this  _ fine establishment _ in the last half hour?”

She decides it's best to play dumb. Maria was obviously terrified of this guy and she didn’t blame her. 5 minutes in and she was wishing she had take Angelica up on her offer to teach her karate. “Don’t know.”

“Don’t - what do you mean you don’t know?!?”

It was at that moment Peggy entered the store. Her colleague had been going through a phase of dying her hair a new colour every other week and Eliza couldn’t help but grin as she saw this weeks colour.

Crimson red.

“Oh- is this who your looking for? This is Peggy.”

“NO! You stupid Bit-” he took a deep breath. Forcing a pained smile back on his face he starts again. “ _ Eliza  _ I  am looking for my girlfriend.”

“Well seeing as the store is empty apart from  us three I think it’s pretty obvious she’s not here” Peggy interrupted coldly. “Now if you don’t want to buy anything please vacate the premises.”

Scowling at them both the man turned on his heel and left.

“Turn the sign Peggy”  Peggy runs and flips the sign on the door from open to closed. 

“What was ‘Liza? Who is he?  Why was he-”

Eliza tuned her friend out and slipped back into the staffroom to find Maria still on the floor. “Hey, sweetie, you alright? What happened? Who is he?”

Maria let out a small laugh. “Thats my boyfriend, James. I’m sorry about him, he can come on a bit strong sometimes… he was probably just worried about me… I should go try-”

“Absolutely not.” A third voice barked. Eliza jumped at the voice and looked up only to see her manager sitting at the table staring them down.

“Umm hi Martha?”

“Will someone tell me why we have a non- staff member in the staff area and why Eliza was kicking ass out front?”

Eliza tried to hide her smile. Martha Washington was one hell of a boss to have.

“It's all my fault - I should go and try sooth things over with James-”

“What did I say young lady? You are in my kitchen and if you need help, I need answers. I can tell that you’re scared, but we can help you if you - “

“NO! He loves me. I love him. Everything is fine.” Maria stands up and walks to the door. “I am fine”. She looks back and sends Eliza a half smile. She cant help but send a small smile back. 

Maria spins on her heel and Eliza hears the front door open and close. A minute passes in silence and suddenly Eliza can’t stop herself.

She runs out to the storefront and opens the front door.the bell above her chimes. She looks up and down the road in time to see a blur of red hair fall to the ground in the middle of the path. They are too far away for Eliza to hear what is being said but by the way James is standing over Maria she knows he at fault. He pushed her or he hit her. And it had happened before. She knew it would happen again.

Eliza is going to kill him. 

She’s dragged back inside. “There is nothing you can do Elizabeth.” she looks up to see Marta looking down at her. 

“But he’s hurting her - I need to help-”

“We tried. She doesn’t want help at the moment. She will come to her senses soon enough. Just keep talking to her. I dare say she’ll be back soon enough.”

Eliza watches from the window of the store as the rain starts to fall.


	2. The most important Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The season is getting busier and Martha has hired two cousins to help with the work load.  
> Alex asks one multiple questions and Eliza sits back to watch the show until she determines its going too far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aka: I mention a few of my fav 80/90's movies 
> 
> what is your favorite 80/90 movie?

Days passed and Eliza didn’t see Maria again. Days turns to weeks and soon Autumn was changing to Winter. The store got busier and Martha ended up hiring new staff. 

Lafayette was a god send. He was the best damn pastry chef she had ever met. 

His cousin on the other had made the best drinks ever. Thomas was one of the most opinionated people she had ever met. She loved the guy, but everything he said was the opposite of what she knew her best friend believed and honestly she couldn’t wait for them to meet.

That was a show she wouldn’t miss for the world.

As it turned out, she wouldn’t have to wait for long.

She only wished it hadn’t happened so early.

“What the hell is that meant to mean you asshole? You’re probably a goddam republican as well aren’t you?”

“What the hell has my political beliefs got to do with coffee you insolent fucking gremlin?”

Eliza sneaked out of the kitchen and lingered in the shadows. 7am wake up call at it's finest. 

“Nothing but it would make sense seeing as the rest of your opinions are shite.”

“How the fuck could you know that- we literally only met”

“‘Harry potter’ or ‘Lord of the rings’?”

“What”

“‘Star trek’ or ‘star wars’?”

“ Well seeing as you’ve named four movies I haven’t seen-”

“HEATHEN!” Alex yelled. He looked up to see Eliza standing by the door. “Eliza, it’s a code red. This uncultured swine-”

“What the fuck-”

“Has never seen some of the greatest cinematic moments ever…”

Eliza smiled. “Give him one last shot Alex - ask the most important question of all” she turned to Thomas, “answer wrong and I’m helping Alex hide your body."

Alex took a deep breath before meeting Thomas’s eyes.

“Books or Movies?”

************************************************************************************************

The days passed in relative peace. She knew it wouldn't last and honestly was surprised it had lasted this long.

She was in the kitchen with Lafayette who was teaching her how to make bread. But she was distracted and kept shooting nervous looks towards the door. “Are you sure it's safe to leave them alone out there?” She was kneading the dough and Laf finally snatches it off her. “Concentrate mon Ami! You are over-working the dough. And i’m sure they are fine, Thomas has enough sense as to not kill his fellow barista’s boyfriend.”

Eliza choked. “No. god no! I love him but not like that… he’s more like a brother or a best friend…” The words we’re spilling out but she had to set them right. “Anyway we are both gay. She squinted her eyes as she thought. “Or maybe he’s bisexual? Not sure. But he’s definitely into guys, his last boyfriend John-” 

Shit. 

Fuck. 

She glanced at the door to make sure it was still closed.

“Anyway, back to the bread please.” Lafayette was still staring at her. 

“Is there something we should know? Thomas in particular-”

“Jesus Laf chill… I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s Alex’s story. If he tells you, he tells you, but at least give the guy his privacy.”

“Elizabeth -”

“It just didn’t end well, please drop it Laf.”

It's quiet for a moment before, “they would make a cute couple, non?” 

Eliza raises an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Alexander and Thomas. I feel they have a connection”

Eliza laughs. “The only thing they agree on is the fact books are better than movies, i doubt they could agree on anything else-”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN PULP FICTION IS BETTER THAN FIGHT CLUB? WERE YOU RAISED IN A BARN?”

“SAYS THE MIDGET WHO HAS TO -”

Eliza takes a deep breath and tries to avoid stepping out to hit them both. She ultimately loses.

“YOU’RE BOTH IDIOTS - OBVIOUSLY FERRIS BUELLER IS THE BETTER MOVIE”

*********************************************************************************************************

Looking back on it, Eliza realizes what  it must have looked like. Martha coming in to check up on her workers only to find Eliza and Thomas in a screaming match with her son. 

Over movies.

With the store still closed at 9am.

When they had finally gotten around to opening the doors they were called back one at a time to speak to Martha. Eliza just prayed that he didn’t just cost herself her job.

“I’m disappointed in you Eliza” Martha stood with her hands on her hips in the middle of the kitchen and Eliza shuffled nervously. “I’d have hoped by now you’d have known by now how futile it is to get into an argument with Alexander”

“Sorry Martha” 

“There is just no point. That boy is stuck in his ways and no one can change his mind” Martha shot her a smile and Eliza knew her job was safe.

“I know Martha, it’s just… he was saying  _ fight club _ was the best 80’s/90’s movie. I had to set him straight… well on the right path at least…”

“Hmmm, did he now… what movie was Thomas fighting on behalf of?”

“Even worse -  _ pulp fiction _ ” Martha shook her head in disappointment.

“Those boys need a lesson in culture… out of curiosity what movie did you fight for?”

“The all-time classic comedy that is  _ Ferris Bueller’s day off _ ” 

“That not a  _ terrible  _ choice darling but i’d have to say  _ Cruel intentions  _ would win it for me.” 

“Martha! I cried during that - at least Ferris Bueller is a comedy more than a emotional trauma”

Martha grinned. “The ending is so unexpected, that’s why it will always be a winner in my eyes - it’s literally impossible to predict that is where it will end up!”

Eliza rolled her eyes. “That’s probably why Alex loves fight club - another unpredictable ending”

Martha smiled and wrapped Eliza up in hug. “Must be a family thing. Now how about we call those two idiots in and let Lafayette get back to work.”

******************************************************************************************

When they exited the kitchen they were met with silence. Eliza shot a worried glance at Martha who looked equally puzzled. They turned the corner only to see the three of the boys in a booth.  Alex and Thomas were sitting across from each other glaring at each other and Laf was reading a book.

“Laf-”

“Non Thomas”

“We’ve-”

“Alexander I told you both to shut up and reflection your poor decision making”

Lafayette stretched back and let out a yawn. “You two can also clean the kitchen when I finish baking. I am tired and it is due to you two”

“Thank you Gilbert for keeping these two out of trouble” Thomas and Alex jumped to their feet as Martha stepped up beside them and start yelling simultaneously and so it's not surprising nobody hears the bell above the shop go as the door opens.

“Mom! It’s not my fault this idiot is an uncultured-”

“Ms. Washington, your son is an uncultured little-”

“ _ Ferme ta gueule _ you idiots! You two are giving me a migraine” Lafayette yells.

Surprisingly enough they both obeyed Lafayette and slunk back into their seats.

“I’m sorry - is this a bad time?” Eliza spins to see Maria standing there,, clutching her handbag to her chest, eyes wide.

“No of course not! Eliza? Be a dear and bring Maria back into the kitchen and make her up a drink. You can take the rest of the day off Alex will cover for you”

“Mom-”

“Alexander Hamilton-Washington sit your arse back down on that seat this instant.”

Smiling Eliza grabs Maria by her hand and smiles. “Come on. I never got a chance to make you the house special on your last visit.”

She receives a timid smile in return. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM TRASH AND I COULDN'T STOP MYSELF   
> #JAMILTON and #MARLIZA


End file.
